


3 H/D Drabbles: Magical Artefacts II

by khalulu



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Chocolate Frog Cards, Drabble Collection, Established Relationship, First Kiss, Gen, HP: EWE, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Hogwarts Express, Kid Fic, M/M, Reconciliation, Some Humor, The Sorting Hat, Trapped In Elevator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-03-13 19:09:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13577103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/khalulu/pseuds/khalulu
Summary: These are the 3 drabbles I wrote for the2017 H/D Last Drabble Writer Left Standing Round 9. The theme was Magical Artefacts, as in the series of 8 I wrote previously, but the prompts for artefacts were different for this round.  I only lasted 3 weeks, perhaps because while attempting the Sorting Hat's point of view I utterly failed to give it that signature wisecracky voice. But the challenge was fun as always!





	1. On the Right Track at Last

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Hogwarts Express.

“Chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chooo-choooo!” Teddy made exuberant sound effects as the little red engine sped around the track, puffing out tiny bursts of steam. “Did you ride on the Hogwarts Express, Uncle Harry?”

“I certainly did. But on my first trip I almost didn’t make it onto the train! I didn’t know the secret to get to the platform. Then on the train I made friends with Ron, and ate pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs, and started learning about Quidditch, and… well, I hadn’t even known about the wizarding world until a few weeks before, so it was all very new and exciting.”

The Floo roared and Draco stepped through.

“Cousin Draco, look! I’m the engineer on the Hogwarts Express!”

“That _is_ impressive. I didn’t know you were even old enough to ride it. Have I missed something? Have you turned 11 already?”

Teddy giggled. “No, silly, I’m FIVE!”

“ _That’s_ a relief,” said Draco. “I was hoping I had a little more time to play with you before you went off to school.”

“Tell me about your first day on the train, Cousin Draco! Was it exciting?”

“Yes, because I was on my way to learn all kinds of magic, and it was my first trip without my parents.”

“And you had pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs!”

“Well, I’d had those before.”

“Your cousin Draco knew more than I did about what to expect,” Harry said.

“I thought I did, but I turned out to be mistaken about some things.”

“Did you make friends with each other on the train?”

Harry snorted.

“No, that was one of the things I was mistaken about,” Draco said. “Shall we make a wild Scottish landscape around your railway track?”

“I want Hogwarts castle!”

Teddy got his play-dough and started molding, while Harry and Draco transfigured things and squabbled amiably about the placement of various towers. The result was lopsided but impressive.

“What did you make a mistake about, Cousin Draco?”

The smile fell from Draco’s face.

“Because I don’t want to make a mistake my first day,” said Teddy.

“People make mistakes,” Harry said quietly. 

“I tried to tell your Uncle Harry who to be friends with. He said he could tell for himself who the wrong sort were. I disagreed with his conclusions, but years later I understood his premise.”

“Who’s the wrong sort?” Teddy asked.

“That’s just it,” Draco said. “You can’t always simply accept what others tell you, especially if what they say is… unkind. See what people do. And if you go wrong – try to right yourself.”

“Didn’t know I made such an impression on you then,” said Harry.

“An extremely irritating impression – like an itch I had to keep scratching.”

“Like a mosquito bite?” said Teddy.

“Exactly.”

“Oi!” said Harry. “I’m not a mosquito. I’m… a ticklebug!” He pounced on Teddy, who collapsed in laughter.

Later, when they were alone, Harry murmured, “So, can I help you scratch that itch?”

Draco drew him close, nuzzled his neck. “Mmm-hmm.”


	2. Theobrobatraquocartomancy (It's in the Cards)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Chocolate Frog Cards. Chocolate comes from the _Theobroma cacao_ plant; theobroma means "food of the gods".

Being stuck in a lift was not, itself, dangerous. But alone with Harry Potter? Hostility ended long years ago, but other feelings Draco preferred to hide.

“We might be here awhile. Let’s check out this emergency kit,” Potter said.

It contained two packets of Chocolate Frogs, labeled _For Dementors, Divination, and Diversion_.

Draco snorted. “As if a Chocolate Frog could repel Dementors.”

“Chocolate helps with recovery. Don’t know about divination, though.”

“You don’t read the cards, Potter?” Draco dead-panned, sitting down.

“Of course I read the cards. How do you think I learned wizarding history? Certainly wasn’t from Binns.” Potter sat and tore into his packet.

“I meant cartomancy. Fortune-telling.”

Potter cast a dubious glance at his card. Mirabella Plunkett, famous for transfiguring herself into a haddock to be with her merman love. 

The chocolate frog began jumping from his lap to Draco’s and back again. “Why is the frog doing that?” 

Draco shrugged. “I’ve never studied batraquomancy.”

Potter looked blank.

“Divination by frogs,” Draco explained.

“Where do you come up with these words?”

“Things called books. You can even learn history from them.”

“You’re as bad as Hermione. Go on, open yours.”

Draco’s chocolate frog jumped from the wrapping onto his shoulder. Bemused, he brought his other hand up. The frog hopped onto his palm and then leapt up to – kiss his cheek?! – before bounding away.

Potter was laughing. “What’s fortune-telling by reading smears of chocolate called?”

“Theobromancy,” Draco answered absently, gazing at the card he’d unwrapped, a portrait of a harassed-looking teenager with unruly hair and a lightning scar.

“That sounds like you fancy Theo Nott.”

“Not Nott.” Draco looked back over at the living wizard next to him. This Potter had greying temples and laugh-lines, and seemed more comfortable in his own skin. Draco found it hard to look away.

“That’s good,” Potter said, husky-voiced, licking a finger and stroking Draco’s cheek. A smudge of chocolate came off on his finger. Potter dragged his finger slowly over Draco’s lips.

Draco took an unsteady breath. He didn’t even lick the chocolate off his lips, because he could foresee that Harry Potter was about to do that for him. 

Draco gave in to the unexpected sweetness of his fate.


	3. Not Too Shabby

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Sorting Hat. Takes place at Hogwarts, 8th year.

Despite what young Ronald Weasley thought, my life’s not boring. Just staying here in the Headmaster’s office I witness interesting things. At feasts, I’ve listened to the thoughts of thousands of 11 year-olds – repetitive, but helps me gauge the temper of the times. And I never know when I’ll be called upon to deliver the sword of Gryffindor – swooping off in the beak of a phoenix to the Chamber of Secrets, or summoned and crammed on the head of brave young Neville Longbottom and set on fire. Both times so the sword could lop the head off some serpent that Tom Riddle was using to make trouble. I remember sorting him – a most unpleasant mind, I got out as soon as I could. He said rude things about me too. 

Ah well, at least the fire Riddle lit dried the mildew out of me, though I got quite trampled afterwards in the battle. Dumbledore wouldn’t have let me get mildewed, but Snape rather neglected me. A brave man – Dumbledore did say perhaps we sort too soon – but Snape so _wanted_ to be in Slytherin. He was miserable when Lily Evans was sorted Gryffindor, though, and the man did bear grudges. 

Here’s Lily’s son now, Harry – one of those I brought the sword for, and an interesting case for sorting. Looks like the Headmistress has called someone else in too… ah, the Malfoy boy that Dumbledore was so worried about. He seems worried himself, looking at Dumbledore’s portrait. See him square his shoulders. He’s apologizing to the portrait! Harry and McGonagall look surprised. The air in the room is thawing.

So much potential in these two young men. If they could only work together instead of being at loggerheads! Salazar and Godric were best friends, once. If we could emphasize cooperation rather than divisions, as I tried to tell everyone a few years ago? 

Now McGonagall’s saying the same. 

Those two are shaking hands! There’s hope.


End file.
